A bus association office-bearer has moved the Calcutta High Court praying for a two-year grace period for 15-year-old buses, of a city route, that have crossed their expiry period, citing losses during the COVID pandemic.

Joint Council of Bus Syndicate general secretary Tapan Banerjee, who is also the owner of 15-year-old stage carriages, said that the number of buses on several routes might dip further with the transport department turning a deaf ear to their plight.

"We had previously appealed to the state government to provide us a two-year window for buses and minibuses attaining the age of 15 years due to losses incurred by bus operators during the two-year COVID period from 2020 to 2021. As that request was not granted, we have been forced to approach the high court as a last-ditched effort," Banerjee told PTI.

Banerjee, as the president of route no 24 from Mukundapur to Howrah, filed the PIL on September 24 and the matter was listed on October 4 for hearing in the coming days.

"Though we have moved the court on behalf of a particular bus union syndicate, we are voicing the concerns of all other private bus operators who are faced with a similar fate," Banerjee said.

He said that the number of buses along several routes in various districts has dipped from an average of 100 to only 20-30 over the last four years.

Following an order by the Calcutta High Court on August 1, 2009, commercial vehicles attaining the age of 15 years were prohibited from plying in Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA), comprising Kolkata and Howrah cities and parts of neighbouring districts, to curb pollution.

Banerjee said the last time bus fares were increased was in 2018 but prices of petrol and diesel were hiked several times after that.

From around 7,000 buses plying in the KMA area before 2009, the number has come down to 3,000 by 2024, another bus association official said.

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